Ozone generating systems typically include an ozone generator having spaced apart conducting parallel plates separated with a dielectric isolator, and which are electrically charged and opposite from one another to generate pulsed corona discharges which, in turn, transform some of the oxygen circulating therebetween into ozone. The pulsed corona discharges are caused by current pulses. Typically the current pulses have a positive polarity portion and a negative polarity portion which enables reversal of the polarity of the ozone generator. The electrical power of the ozone generator is typically provided by a specialized power supply unit.
Ozone generating systems are selected as a function of the maximum ozone production rate they can produce. The ozone production rate is affected by environmental factors such as temperature and gas pressure and composition, and standards can be provided to rule such parameters out of the equation. The maximum ozone production rate is also affected by the design of the ozone generator, including the gap width, the dielectric material used, its surface finish, electrode material, the dielectric surface dimension, tolerance, cooling system, concentration etc. Furthermore, the maximum ozone production rate is affected by the current pulses provided by the power supply unit, including a current density, a pulse width, a frequency, a generator voltage, a power used, etc. Of course, with time, the maximum ozone production rate can deplete due to factors such as oxide buildup, loss of dielectric surface and contamination, but clients typically expect a given maximum ozone production rate upon purchase.
Many ozone generating systems are not always used at maximum capacity, and therefore they are often designed with means to control the ozone production rate below the maximum capacity (e.g. at a given % of the maximum capacity), within the full range of operation of the system. One approach is to control the ozone production rate by adjusting the current amplitude. Another approach is to control the ozone production rate by adjusting the frequency.
The yield of ozone generating systems can be evaluated in terms of a mass of ozone generated vs. an amount of electrical power consumed. While the yield of prior art ozone generating systems was typically good at certain % of maximum capacity, there remained room for improvement.